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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

What makes a person stop their grocery cart in the middle of the aisle while they studiously read the label on a package of cocoa puffs as if they actually have a clue what trisodium phosphate is? Now, don't get me wrong. It's notsomuch the stopping the cart that bothers me. I mean, I've accidentally stopped the cart in the middle of the aisle a time or two myself. But here's the difference - I'm not completely oblivious to every other human on the planet! No matter how engrossed I am in comparing prices on mac-n-cheese, or discussing with my kids why it wouldn't be a good idea to drink a bottle of soy sauce while strolling down aisle two, I'm always aware of other people around me. If someone even starts to approach me, I will immediately pull my cart over to the side before the other individual even gets close enough to notice that my cart was blocking her.

I cannot, for the life of me, understand people who block the aisle, completely unaware that anyone else is in the store with them! These have to be the same people who drive under the speed limit and annoy the snot out of you when you're running late and you're stuck behind them. There is no reason, I repeat - NO REASON why anyone should EVER drive 25 mph in a 40 zone. Ever.

This whole "being oblivious to every other human on the planet" thing has really been bothering me so I've come up with a few points to help you if you're one of those oblivious people. If you're in fact a courteous person with manners and the ability to recognize you're not alone on this planet, then I suggest you print these tips out (perhaps on business cards) and keep them handy to pass out to the ignorant fools around you.

1. Do not leave your cart in the middle of the aisle! If you want to stop and look at something, pull your cart over to the side. If you're driving and you want to park, you don't just stop your car in the middle of the street, do you? No, you pull over! The same rules apply when shopping. And when someone says, "Excuse me", this is your cue TO MOVE!

2. Do not stand there in front of the refrigerated section blocking the doors to the cooler. While you're standing there, looking at your grocery list, people like me could be trying to get a package of stinkin' cheddar cheese so they could make some nachos to go with their margarita tonight! When someone says, "excuse me", this is your cue TO MOVE!

3. Pay attention when pushing your cart. Do not crash your cart into the ankles of unsuspecting shoppers. It hurts when carts are smashed into our ankles. We don't like it. One of these days, one of us is going to lose it and throw a can of creamed corn at your head for reducing our ankles to bloody stumps.

4. When looking for a greeting card, be aware of the people around you. I like to get lost reading funny Hallmark cards as much as the next person. But when someone is hovering around, just waiting to grab a card from where you're looking, move over a little! It won't kill you. (But I hear a greeting card strategically whipped at your face, can poke your eye and cause blindness. Just sayin'.)

5. If you get in line, pile all your groceries on the conveyor belt, then realize, Oops, I forgot to get Cheez Whiz, do not hold up the entire line to go back and get it. Pay for your stuff. Then, if it's something really important like chocolate or wine, go get it and get back in line to pay for it. If it's nonessential, go home and send someone else out to get it for you later.

6. Express Lanes have the word "express" in them for a reason. If you have enough groceries to feed the Duggars for a week, you do not belong in the express lane. Move!

7. After unloading your groceries onto the conveyor belt, move up! There is no reason why you should just stand there preventing the next person from unloading their groceries. Put a stinkin' order divider down and move!

I'm sorry, but I had to deal with an ignorant fool several times today and so I'm fed up with stupid people who don't use their brains. I hope this list comes in handy. If even one idiot is reformed, it will be worth it.

92 comments:

My "favorite" would be the person who isn't planning to pay for their groceries with plastic (credit or debit) and brings an exact amount of cash. Then goes over their own cash limit. And stands there pondering what to knock off their list to meet their budget. Hmm. Here's a hint...don't limit yourself to a specific dollar amount unless you're walking through the store with a calculator. Seriously, I've done it...I've totalled my groceries with a calculator prior to checking out if all I had to pay with was cash. Because I'm just thoughtful like that.

Vent over. :)

***For the record, I've actually put $1.85 on my debit card before, because the people in front of me would have taken ALL day if I hadn't, and I was in a hurry. They thought I was being really super nice. I just wanted them to finish up and move so I could buy the two items I'd gone in for in the first place. Best $1.85 I've ever spent...

I had work in a grocery store for 14 years;in the deli.One thing that ticks us off,if you don't know what you want; the other customer behind you does let them go ahead.And hang up the $%&# cell phone. It's rude to the other person on the phone to say wait a min. And than give your order. I used to feel like whipping it out of their hand and fling it in the trash can. As you can tell I had enough of people rudeness I quit. And the rudeness is getting worse all the time. What's happen to common courtesy. I had customers go off on me for calling them madam.Even the cashier had customer's throw money at them and say "here". And we can't say anything to you but take the abuse. We don't go to your jobs and tell you how to do it. I had cut my finger(7 stitches)on a slicer because the customer was so irate wanting to talk. You have to have full attenion on the slicer. And she thought it was funny. And than we get the weird customer's (men) that try to hold your hands,and follow you home. you be suprise of the nasty customes that come in. People if a employee eats even one grape your fired; it's called grazing (like cattle.)For customer it's STEALING. We see it all. You get to a point you don't even want to talk to them. I had work overnights just to get away from the nuts. Atleast you get normal people picking up medicine,or diaper's at night.Best time to shop NO CROWDS.Want to make someones day smile it blows us away. Because it shows some nice people or still out there. We had random acts of kindness a few years back when a customer will pay for an employees lunch, or let them go ahead of them in line. It shocks us.It's the talk of the store if you get a kind person. Remember we're to serve you. Not to be your Slave. Think of how lucky we are to have all we need in one place. KINDNESS people it goes along way. Thank's for soap box today Dawn. I know this open up a kettle of fish. "Sorry" if you mail box get's filled. (((HUGS))) If there's alot of hate mail. But, it needs to be addressed.

Dawn, I know what you mean. I was at Walmart the other day and there was a couple looking in one of the coolers near the meat dept....but their buggy was in the middle of the aisle about 3-4 feet from them. I could not believe it! I stood there for a minute thinking they would notice that I needed to get by but it was like noone in the store existed but them. I don't get it either. Had to bite my tongue. May not be able to next time though LOL

I will however tell the tale of a brave Mum we encountered in about October last year.

We were doing our grocery shopping as per usual. And the ear piercing scream of a petualnt child was gradually getting closer as we went up and down each aisle.We finally met up with the woman, who had obviously told her son "No!", and had stuck to it. (much to the irritation of anyone within ear shot.)As we walked past I congratulated her on sticking to her word.She grumbled a few barely audible obsenities, and somewhere in there she said Christmas Aisle.

I have never understood why the stores get the Christmas stuff out as soon as the Easter eggs are put away, and the moment the tinsel goes back in the box the eggs are out again.

If you lived in NY I would swear you were talking about my sister-in-law. I made the mistake of going shopping with her while visiting them and was totally appalled by her behavior! I totally agree with you on this point. Printing the cards now:)

It drives me nuts when people park their cart in front of the meat cooler so no one else can get near the meat until they pick out their perfect piece. Then they must pick up every. single. package. looking for... what? the best marbling? Even better, they will take the package with the perfect marbling over to the butcher to ask a question, AND LEAVE THE CART GUARDING THE MEAT!

At this point, that cart is free game and it is time for some bumper carts! Pull your cart back, get a running start and see if you can shove their cart into produce with yours! Kinda like grocery cart curling.

Personally, I find that most of those ignorants are quite nice, when you ask them to move, but sometimes you'll get around one who really thinks he owns this planet... These guys I'd really like to smack, but I truely believe in justice and always have a blast, when it turns out that it is actually that very same person who paid for an expensive item and them forgot to take it... (other people I will remind to take it but not those guys. Their fault, *ggg*).

I loved your list! :D Those kind of people annoy the life out of me too. (In addition to people who simply decide to stop in the middle of the street - while walking - deciding that "this is the perfect spot to discuss the meaning of life with your friend" or generally just have the gene commonly known (in our house) as the "feeling the need to stop in the middle of everybody elses way at every possible opertunity". It seems that this gene is very common in Oslo, Norway, where I live (luckily - ;) - I was not born here, so I don't seem to have it). My BF and I were in a store a few weeks ago, where there were three or four - apparently - girlfriends who - hopefully - accidentally managed to stand in our way at every single isle we needed something from. Needless to say, as we are very caring and polite people, we ended up doing the same thing to them - until they went away. (We crept up on them, and slowly invaded their "territory" in front of the potatoe chips while loudly discussing something completely different while gazing on the chips, later followed them to the peanuts and did the same thing there.) Sadly, I don't think they learned anything.. but we did get some laughs.

Oh, have you ever stood in line to pay, and have the person behind you push their cart so far up your *** that you're basically sitting in their grocery cart? People tend to do that to my BF..

Hi Dawn - I've printed out multiple copies of the list and will now distribute them to shops all over Canberra (Australia). My little community service, becaue you have indeed written wise, wise words (which of course match mine entirely). Together we will rid the world of idiots!I've just added one thing, which is to do with getting to the shops. In Australia we DO NOT stop on roundabouts once we are on them! The traffic coming onto the roundabout must give way to US. In other words the person on the roundabout OWNS the roundabout. If you're on the roundabout KEEP DRIVING!I feel so much better now.Vegemite Girl.

It's nice to know that it happens to other people in other parts of the country. Believe me, when I have to YELL at them to move their cart after politely asking 10 times...they look AT ME as if I had six heads. I've solved the problem though. I crash my cart into theirs then I say "Excuse Me".:)

Dawn:You hit a nerve today. I just spent 1/2 hour behind a very selfish young woman who could not see the "Express Lane, 15 items or less" staring at her when she pulled into said lane. I could feel my BP rising, and I kept giving her the evil eye and I know she knew I was a little ticked with her. She had an over $100 order for Pete sake! (She did save $48 with coupons and such, which was somewhat impressive, but still). There were at least 5 people behind me waiting, and when I finally got to the cashier, she said she was sorry, but she just didn't feel like making an issue of it so let her through. GRRR. Makes me so angry.

Thank you for posting this! You addressed everything that annoys me about the grocery. The one that irritates me the most is the person stopping in the middle of the aisle or walking down the middle of the aisle...S-L-O-W-L-Y.

I agree with the express line thing. I think that if the counter on your receipt says you have too many items for your line you should have to pay a surcharge, or perhaps pay for the groceries of the person you kept waiting behind you! Like it isn't bad enough that the stores put these little tags on ice cream, cereal or butter that say "new lower price" but negelect to tell you it is also a new smaller box. How can they sell a pound tub of country crock that is now only 15 ounces....or how about a pound of spaghetti that is no longer 16 ounces.....a pound of spaghetti is just right for my family for dinner....now they go hungry! Sorry....grocery stores are my least favorite places (except for the dentist!)

So I need to make one of these lists, except mine would be Parenting 1011. If you are not a parent, DO NOT give me parenting advice.2. If you have a problem with my parenting skills, please inform me PRIVATELY. The middle of a childs outside B-day party, is not the appropriate time to discuss my faults. Doing it loudly so all your neighbors can hear only makes you look bad and makes EVERYONE uncomfortable.3. When I confront you about your lack of parenting skills, and bad choice of timing for discussing my faults, DO NOT tell me "Well if I was a parent I would do things ______ way!" Heads up honey, you are NOT a parent therefore you have NO idea about what you would actually do IF you were a parent.

Thanks to my lovely sister in law and her wonderful (NOT!) parenting advice I now know I'm a bad parent for allowing my kids to call their grandmother "Grandma" instead of "Grammie".

What drives me crazy you ask? well....The fool who stands in line and gets all of their groceries put into bags, back in their cart, hears their total and THEN pulls out the checkbook! Did they not know they had to pay the whole time they stood there? I mean really? You're right even if one person is reformed it has been a great blog post and well worth the time:)

For me, it's the middle-of-the-aisle-parkers who then stroll down to the other end of the aisle to look for something! The cart has *wheels.* That makes it really easy to move it. My own kids drive me crazy, too. I'm constantly having to pull them out of the way so other people can get by, and they're not even little enough to have the excuse of being little. They're just on their way to being oblivious grown-ups, and I am not happy about it, at all!

ALL of the above! And people who insist on bringing their teenage daughter and her boyfriend grocery shopping with them. Obviously they don't want to be there, so WHY! And why submit the rest of us to the attitude and groping?

People that bring their kids and make them hold the carts or their hands, which then blocks the whole isle, and they don't move. Even if you say excuse me. Or people that see me and my two homeschooled kids, and ask why they aren't in school. I tell them, then they want to know all about it. I'm always up for talking about it, but when I'm grocery shopping and my frozen foods aren't frozen anymore from explaining the ins ad outs of HSing, I tend to get annoyed. I should have cards with my blog on it, and point them in that direction. Or I should have t-shirts made for me and the kids saying " We homeschool, and look, We're socializing!"

1. I wish ALL stores would move the candy/snacks from the checkout aisle!!! By the time I have finished shopping for my family of 7, I'm beat. The last thing I need is a battle with my 4 year old over a baby bottle pop/tape gum/ gummy bears/nerds/laffy taffy/ etc!!! Then the cashier, with a snear, will add in her 2cents re: my son's meltdown. I swear one of these days I will go rabid chihauhau on them. Now, If the stores would put out a nice selection of lets way WINE, I'm all for that!! Oh and how about the greeters offer a glass of wine BEFORE you shop. That could do 1 of 2 things. 1. give us more patience with the idiots in the store. 2. Give us the courage to just Ram our carts into theirs---maybe then they would take a hint.2. The other thing that bothers me is when you have two people stop to chat with eachother and block the flow of traffic on both sides. GET A CLUE!!!

I'll take it one step further.Yes, move over when you see someone coming down the aisle.But my question is: why can't we travel up and down the aisles in the same direction we drive our cars? On the right side of the road. I try to stay to the right, no matter which aisle I'm in, and I push my cart along my "lane." I don't travel down the middle of the aisle. If I have to stop and pick out some past from the left side, I "park" my cart on the right, as far out of "traffic" as possible, get my noodles, and move on!Yea, I know, I might be compulsive, but this works on the road - think it'll work in the stores??

What drives me nuts is going to a store with a list based on their sale paper. And then you get there and find that half the stuff on your list is not there because a) they only had 3 and ran out within the first 20 minutes of the sale and when you ask a "sales associate" whether they have more they say, "nope and we probably won't be getting any either!", b) it's sitting in a wrapped pallet on the floor two aisles away and no one is putting any of the pallets that are scattered everywhere away, instead the employees are standing around shooting the breeze with each other, talking about Lost or Survivor from last night while you try to negotiate the aisles with your big-ass shopping cart, wondering why you didn't just pay more at your favorite store where they NEVER do this but instead were lured in by "always low prices", or c) they NEVER had the item, instead a "sales associate" points to the teeny tiny print in the ad that you missed that says, "At select locations only" while your blood pressure slowly rises and you are happy you are not in the housewares aisle where all the knives are because otherwise your children would only be able to talk to you with a phone as you look at their crying faces through thick plexiglass.

lol i totally agree with the grocery store manners, however sometimes i don't have time to think of where i am placing the grocery cart in the aisle due to the fact that i am chasing one of my five children down from climbing the shelves or trying to get in the lobster tank. so i will say sorry for being one of those annoying people lol. and what if there was a tornado or a blizzard, are we then allowed to drive that slow? just saying. I love your blog and relate to it so much.

Grocery shopping is my least favorite thing to do. I started shopping at 7AM and life is SO much better. I don't get as stressed and usually, in the million square foot (ok, it's not THAT big) store I shop in, I usually don't see another shopper till I check out, and sometimes not even then. What makes ME crazy is people who go to the deli counter with absolutely no idea what they want. It takes time to slice up the meat and cheese, and even longer if you stand and stare at the products as if they were going to say "buy me, buy me". So go prepared with your list, order your meat and cheese and get moving. I have places to go and waiting in line at the deli isn't one of them. (Can you tell I was just there yesterday and I was one of two people in the entire store, and the other person was in line ahead of me at the deli...)

At this one store I go to, they almost harass you with the question "would you like help out with that?" The first time is nice. At the end, the "are you sure..." isn't horrible. But the 2-3 times in between are just plan annoying. If I said I don't need help with my stuff, then I don't need help, get it?!?!

If you insist on using the self-checkout lanes, have your preferred card, credit card, cash, or whatever ready before you start scanning. This goes for the regular line also. You could be writing out your check while they are scanning your groceries. You do not have to wait until they are done to get your form of payment out of your wallet or purse.

Don't let your kids help scan your groceries between 4:30pm and 7:00pm. Many of us are stopping by, quickly, to pick up one or two items for tonight's dinner. It's not that cute to us watching your little darling trying to scan a banana.

To the grocery store: Assign an adult to self-checkout lanes. I want my wine and I want it now! Don't want to wait for a manager to saunter down the aisle to see that I'm older than dirt and approve my sale.

It drives me crazy when someone waits until ALL the groceries have been scanned and bagged and the clerk gives the total, THEN they start searching their purse for their credit card or check book! Do they not realize they have to pay?!?

People who leave carts in the parking spaces. You really can't walk 3 spaces away for the cart return? And if you're excuse is, "I didn't want to leave my baby in the car and walk away," then unload everything EXCEPT the baby, return the cart and carry the baby back to the car with you. Bugs me to death.

I absolutely hate the grocery store, but the Stop & Shops in Massachusetts have the most wonderful new thing! You go in, scan your card, grab a handheld scanner and start shopping. If you have recycle friendly bags its even better! You scan your own items and bag them as you walk through the store!!!! You setup the bags in the cart, pick items off the shelf, beep the little bar code, put them in a bag (you can only blame yourself if the corn lands in the bread) and when you get to the self checkout you beep the little scanner and dun dun dun your whole order rings up and you pay and go, your stuff is already bagged!!!! It helps avoid the people more and that is just wonderful. I hope you get this system soon!!!! saves easily 25 minutes on the trip! occassionally you get audited but it takes about 5 minutes for them to check your stuff. its just fantastic!!!!!

People on their cell phones in line (for ANYTHING) are my biggest pet peeve. Especially because most of the time they cannot be "bothered" by the cashier trying to help them, and instead hold up a finger for the cashier to "wait a minute" while they continue to chat on the phone. If it's THAT important, please step out of line, or at least attempt to finish your transaction as soon as possible rather then making the rest of us wait while you finish your conversation. :)

Okay, I'll play today... How about when you're waiting in the only checkout lane open for like, 20 minutes, with 5 impatient children (who are justifiably impatient because they have been standing in one spot for 20 MINUTES!). Then a manager or another cashier finally sees that the line is backed up halfway to to the back of the store and says "I'll take next in line at register 2." Even though you and your maxed-out kids are next in line, the idiots behind you start a mad sprint to beat you to the newly opened register. Wait, it gets better! When you politely mention your frustration about the situation to the cashier, she responds "well, you should have been faster getting there." We're going to start practicing "next in line" drills at home. One kid will guard the cart, two will assume blocking stances, and the other two will plow people over to clear the way for Mommy to "get there first."

One more:People with sales ads for every. thing. they. bought. which is advertised as cheaper at another store.Just because Stuffmart meets competitors prices, doesn't mean you should bring fifty-eleven fliers with you, just to get two cents off dog shampoo.GO TO THE FREAKING STORE WHERE IT'S CHEAPER!!!I have been trying to teach my kids common courtesy since they were babies, but in this "It's all about me" world, they don't seem to get it. Move out of people's way. Hold the door open for someone. Offer to help reach that item for the lady in the wheelchair. Let the person with two items go in front of your heavy laden cart. Smile at the cashier. Ask how their day is going, then actually listen when s/he tells you. Take time to care about others.I always tell the kids that if we just let the OTHER person go first, they will be more kind in return. (at least most of the time)The Bible calls us to esteem others better than ourselves. It's called meekness, which is sadly in short supply these days.

I hate the cell phone use at the cashier! The stopping in the middle of the road, the people who do not look both ways when crossing! Seriously I have almost hit someone because they just ramble on I want to say "Is that how you drive?"

What ticks me off is the people who not only block the lane with their carts but those who have a "tea party" with their friend they just haven't seen in years (insert sarcasm)!!!! You say excuse me and they don't move, I say it twice if they haven't done anything I push my way through they really don't like that!!!!!!

I can't stand people who won't park in a parking spot when they are in a parking lot. There are parking spaces ALL around you! Pick a spot! But for some reason they need to park the car right where everyone needs to drive. How does this make sense?

Umm... Was that me that you bumped into at the store??I know that I can be oblivious when I'm shopping. But I don't go through the express or other things you mentioned. And I try not to block the aisle with my cart, but it does happen sometimes. And my biggest gripe is that when I am in someone's way, they should speak up and say, "excuse me" because even though I may have some super powers, being able to see out of the back of my head is not one of them.

Re: #1--People in our small town frequently stop their cars in the middle of the street to chat with another driving or someone walking by. I would expect no less of those same people in the grocery store. At least in the grocery store I can "accidentally" bump their cart out of the way without my insurance rates going up! ;)

If it says take a number, TAKE A NUMBER! Don't act surprised when I get waited on before you because I FOLLOWED DIRECTIONS! (I also went grocery shopping today).

Also? If I DO stop my cart in your way, say "excuse me" and I will move. DO NOT stand behind me and sigh annoyingly. I can't tell if it's another individual or one of my kids. If you ACT like a kid, then I'm going to ignore you like one of my kids (only while shopping, of course).

Keep your hands to yourself! I KNOW my baby is cute (s/he is MINE after all), but that DOES NOT give you the right to stop me every 3.5 seconds and tell me so! If you can't throw me a compliment while I'm on the move, then don't bother. I have exactly 52 minutes to get an entire week's worth of grocery shopping done while corraling a 3-year-old and entertaining a 10 month old. Don't hinder my forward progress!

I love these because they are so accurate, but, uhm, they won't fit on a business card in any kind of print that is big enough to read. I was so excited at the idea of carrying these around and handing them to people or sneaking them into carts or pockets. Oh well.

Your post took me back to the days of Bill Engvall and Jeff Foxworthy with their "Here's Your Sign" routine!

I hate the Costco runs when they are serving a ton of free samples. People stop their carts all around the sample table waiting for their "free lunch" and prevent those WHO ARE shopping to get down the isle. I think they should just dedicate a whole isle to just samples, so those who don't want to participate in the frenzy can be left alone.

(In response to your "What drives you crazy at the store?" question)Well, I hate it when you see a lady who has like a screaming infant who looks like they have colic, and you let them step in front of you in the 600000 people long line, and then you're the only one. Nobody else lets the poor lady go in front, even though she looks like she hasn't slept in weeks and her baby's screamin' bloody murder, nobody except for you is kind enough to let her pass. Seriously, where is the compassion? You can't let a poor lady in front of you? Sheesh.

I love how here in Chicago the aisles are extra-narrow because our grocery stores are smaller. Which almost always results in a complete aisle-blockage because two of these idiots stop their carts next to each other! Hey birdbrains, one of you move your cart up a bit so others can navigate around you!

This also seems to be the time when these people go comletely deaf and I have to repeatedly say "excuse me.... Excuse Me... EXCUSE ME... MOOOOOVE!!!!!!" Ugh.

This is for your sunday sound out. Can't get it to post on the "contact me" one.

Do your kids eat school lunch each day or do they pack? I have 4 kids (2 in school) and its hard trying to figure out what to give them each day to take. (hot foods get cold by lunch time for my older son) If your kids pack, what do they take?

What drives me crazy at the store? My 3 year old...I wanna push the cart. He can't see over the top and has no idea how to properly steer the thing so we spend an hour crashing into everything. Heaven forbid I should even touch it to help guide him...meltdowns ensue. Sooo, I go to the store when I don't need to have him with me. I buy everything in bulk so there are no emergency trips. The worst behavior always happens with the simple in and out errands. UGH!

1. People who graze through the store. Kids can do it in carts. That is fine. Adults generally (we're excluding those with medical conditions) can wait. That includes drinking soda. Please wait to drink it until AFTER you've purchased it. 2. Smacking me in the butt with the cart could be done accidentally once. But for the older woman who continued to do it and finally the forth time, I looked at her and said, "I'm sorry, I believe I'm in your way," as I moved to the front of the cart so she would stop smacking with it.3. I understand that going out of business sales can make people giddy (which really is sad), but when folks are shopping through sections of the store, you don't need to vulture over top. Really, we'll move in just a minute. Again, my line of "Excuse me, but I appear to be in your way" comes in handy.4. If you pick up a refrigerated or frozen item and decide that you don't need it, feel free to deposit it back where you got it. Parking it on the shelf next to the cereal isn't working. Just in case you hadn't noticed, it is not refrigerated and will not at all give the food that same creature home that you pulled it from. In other words, it will go bad and that will cost the store. Think about others, people.

My grocery shopping pet peeve is when I'm loading my cartful of stuff on the belt to be checked out and the person behind me starts putting THEIR stuff on. As the belt moves forward, I no longer have room to put the rest of my stuff on. Maybe I should just ask if they're planning on paying for my order, too.

Oh Dawn...you and I must be twins separated at birth since we think so much alike. I laughed so hard because you basically wrote my thoughts word for word. But I have to add another example of idiocy. When I am in the mall, I am pushing a stroller. If you walk out of a store in front of me and then stop in the aisle, or try to walk INTO a store and walk in front of me, or you aren't paying attention and you walk in front of me...be prepared to limp away with bloody stumps b/c I WILL NOT STOP FOR YOU!! I embarrass my kids and husband, but I don't care. If you are too rude to watch where you are going, I am not going to waiver from my set path, so be prepared for the consequences.

I keep telling my husband there is something called stroller ediquette. You know, when someone stops right in the middle of an aisle like you've mentioned or stands still in the middle of the mall/amusement park/zoo etc. So frustating!! C'mon, don't you know how annoying that is to other people, especially other people with their own strollers? I always try to look out for people passing by when I need to stop with my stroller.question: I'm contemplating going to my 20 year Fremd HS reunion this fall...is it worth it? b/c I'd be traveling back from Dallas. I'm wondering if just a reunion with HS friends would be more fun??

I use the scanner/bag-as-you-go at Stop and Shop and it's marvelous. I can figure out when an audit is coming and often use the express self checkout if one is not imminent. Scan my card, pay and I'm outta there!I shop early in the morning when the fewest people are there. I never bring my cart into the produce aisles. I leave it at the end where it is not bothering anyone and go in with my produce baggies alone. Never between 10 and 2 or after 5.My store offers a pre-order machine for deli items right near the scanners which saves time and the exposure to lines of people who need to examine each slice as it is cut for thickness. Use the aisles as if you are driving and stay on your own side! If someone stops in the middle of the aisle it's bumper car time. Don't care if you don't like it, have some consideration. If you do park your cart on the side then stand in the middle of the aisle don't expect me not to get really close to you before I stop. Wear your glasses if you need that much room to read something.If you try to rush me by doing the heavy sigh expect me to slow down further. I walk rather quickly because I want to get out. If you are jogging behind me, effect a proper pass. Tailgating is not allowed in the grocery store. If you hit me with your cart...well let's leave it at that.

This was awesome...it's amazing to me how many people in this world are 'entitled' to an entire aisle at the grocery store! Do they pay extra? Is it rented space, or do they actually own it? All kidding aside...it was hard to find something else that was annoying, and then I thought of this...I think that when you are behind someone with 500 items and they haven't started checking out yet, that they should let you, who only has 2 items in hand, go in front of them. Instead of waiting 20 minutes for them, they would only have to wait 2 minutes for you. I let people go ahead of me all of the time. It's like the whole 'merging' thing. If people would learn how to 'merge' and yield to one another a little, every day daunting tasks wouldn't be so difficult and exasperating. Just sayin'.

My husband says people drive their cars the way they push their shopping carts.

And most of the time he's pretty spot on.

We followed this one guy around the store once, he was an aisle hog, and we just couldn't get past the *bleep* man.We got through the check outs at about the same time and we got back to our respective cars at the same time... His fancy car with the bling for wheel rims and more chrome than is necessary was parked right down the line taking up two parking spaces. What a *bleep*.Our amazing run of luck continued when we got to follow him out of the parking lot. WEEEEEEE!!!

OK you have really got me started now!The little old lady who insists on opening every one of the half a dozen purses she keeps in her bag "just to find the right change". Dont they realise that cashiers actually have change in their tills? And just why do elderly ladies have so many purses in the first place?

People who stop suddenly on the way out - and even better in the middle of the doorway!

Yes I know its raining/forgotten where the car is parked/finding car keys etc. BUT for PITYS SAKE not in the freakin doorway!

And the supermarkets who seem to think that parking spaces for disabled folk and parents with children should be adhered to after 9 o'clock at night. Children should be safely at home then and not in supermarkets, so why cannot us weary workers use those spaces then?

And as for driving too. I followed a L driver coming home one night recently. I know we all have to learn to drive but does it have to be in the RUSH HOUR?He did 29 mph in the 30 limit - ok but when it changed to 40 he stuck to 29 mph. And at 50 he crept up to 39 mph and this was for the 70 limit too. Yes it was a long road and even longer that night!

I think you covered all of the annoying grocery shopping experiences. I wonder if it legal to move the cart of the other person (I mean, technically, the food is not theirs until they paid for it, right? :) Just move it, and if they say something like: "Oh, that's my cart." Respond very innocently: "Oh, i was wondering who deserted their cart in the middle of the isle" or not so innocently: "Oh, good, I was wondering what kind idiot that leaves the cart in the middle of the isle." (If you use the latter response, walk away as fast as you can.) LOL Oh, yeah, I just remembered another annoying thing that can make long lines take even longer: when the customer or the cashier start telling their life story. I mean, I try to be understanding (maybe they're just friendly, or lonely), but it gets so maddening when they go on and on and on and ON about their cat or their Uncle Bob. I wanted several times just to say: "Who cares, lady? You want to talk, go to a therapist, visit a friend, etc. But please just let me get my two items paid for; some people have a life and cannot waste time waiting in line!" Am I the only one dealing with this? ;)

I am sure we all inadvertently do things from time to time that are viewed as inconsiderate or annoying. I don't know about other people, but every time I complain about someone's lack of consideration, I pretty soon find myself doing exact same thing. And yeah, I have been guilty of some of the things you have mentioned here, and not because I think that the universe belongs to me... I try to be considerate, I hold doors for other people, pick up stuff that someone had dropped, etc. Why do I sometimes do the things you find so abominable? I am sure there's a reason, but I don't remember now...

My pet-peeves usually pertain to the store & its personnel, rather than other customers. Like the bagger who doesn't notice how carefully & strategically I place my items on the belt - making his/her job easier, really. I LOVE coming home with crushed produce & the like. Or the really old bagger who only puts 3 things in a bag - so now I have to make 5 thousand trips to the car to bring in the groceries while mediating a fight between my 2 older ones & keeping the baby corralled away from the stairs I'm using to get into the kitchen.

I like your list! A suggestion to add to #7... If the person in front of you moves a little to get her bags into the card, but the cashier is still ringing up stuff, DO NOT move up and plant yourself in front of the cashier and credit card machine!!! I don't like to have to fight for space to be able to pay!!!

Now, the one going 25 mph in a 40 zone, could be a teenager learning to drive... You have no idea how many times I've had to say "go faster, the speed limit is 45!" during the last month... :)

Actually, where I live, people DO sometimes stop in the middle of the street! They pick up kids, drop kids off, talk to people standing in their yards, whatever. They also stand in the middle of the street to talk. Now, I love that we have a cool, walking, friendly community. I truly do. But I am deathly afraid that one day I am going to hit somebody who doesn't understand that streets are primarily for cars that are moving. I myself have stood by my car in the street to talk to a neighbor. I must look like an idiot, because if I am in the street, I keep checking BOTH directions to make sure no cars are coming. And if a car is coming, then I MOVE OUT OF THE STREET. ALL THE WAY. Not just an inch or two while rolling my eyes at the inconvenience.

I recently read a story of someone who got into the 'express lane' with a cart full of shopping. When she got to the register, the lady smiled sweetly at the customer and said, "so, which six items are you going to buy?"Love it!!!

My biggest frustration is the wonderful people who see our four kids (ages five, three, three, and one) and so the ever-popular, "Oh, are they all yours?" Then proceed to tell me about their cousin's pastor's doctor's son who also has twins, but they are grown now and live who-knows where because I quit listening seven minutes ago. Really, having four kids ages five and under at the grocery store is about a fourteen-minute-till-meltdown trip and I am frustrated that you are wasting twelve of those fourteen minutes. But I can't be rude, because it's a small town and you probably know my Grandpa.

I get annoyed with the people in the line for the deli who order like this: "I need a 1/4 pound of turkey, sliced very thin...no, that's too thin...yes, that's better. I also need 1/8 pound of ham sliced thin...no, not that thin...thanks. Then I need just 4 slices of bologna, 1/3 pound of provolone, 1/7 pound Swiss sliced on a diagonal, and when was that chicken salad made? Yesterday? Hmmm, I don't know...has it been kept cool? It looks good, but is it made with mayo or Miracle Whip? I just can't stand Miracle Whip."OH MY GOD! I need a pound of American Cheese! That's it! MOVE!

Also, I went to the store yesterday with my 2 year-old, and chose the candy-free aisle (even though I had to wait longer) so I didn't have to battle over a pack of Skittles. And what was on "seasonal" display? A ROPE OF EASTER LOLLIPOPS! C'mon people, a little extra thought goes a LONG way.

what drives me crazy is when a perfectly nice, well kept, organized store decides to have a secret meeting at midnight on a Wednesday and changes the whole layout of the store around. seemingly, just for kicks. my grocery store is lovely. I used to be able to make my list at home and arrange it in order of the aisles. so that way, I'm not about to head to the registers and realize, "oops, I forgot tissues!", and have to turn around and head back to aisle 12. a few weeks ago, I felt like I had been alien abducted and dropped in a whole new store when I arrived. I had a slightly crabby 2 yr old with me and was planning on a 30 minute trip, head home, put the little down for a nap and I could put away groceries in peace. no. not happening.the store was completely flipped and flopped. fruit was now in the meat section.tampons were in the freezer section.I never did find the dog food.I HATE THIS!!!!!!! LEAVE MY STORE ALONE!!!!

My pet peeve (in addition to your list) is that people need to have their checks filled out completely except for the amount BEFORE they get to the register! I mean, c'mon, you know what store you buying at, you know the date, you know (presumably) how to sign your name...can't you fill it out as you're writing or double checking your grocery list????? I know most people don't even bother with checks nowadays, but when they do that TOTALLY irks me!

I went to CVS to pick up a prescription and there was a lady in front of me waiting for hers and it was taking a while for the pharmacy chick to locate it and get it straightened out, so we were standing there (me having to pee really badly at the moment, too) for about a good 5 minutes. When she finally gets the order together, the lady pulls out her checkbook and starts writing....are you kidding me?? That whole time you were standing there waiting with nothing to do, you couldn't have filled most of it out?????? ARGH!!!!!!

I can't stand stores stocking their shelves in the middle of the day. Seriously, in a store that's open 24/7, does it not make more sense to stock at night, when there's fewer shoppers?

We once got stuck behind the same person in every aisle of a grocery store one day. Finally, when we couldn't get into the dairy aisle between her, the friend she had stopped to chat with, and the pallet the employee was using to stock, my husband yelled "Aisle blocker in the dairy aisle!" She gave him a filthy look, but she moved!

Okay. I know some will disagree with this but... I detest the carts with the big, plastic cars in the front for small kids to sit in and pretend they are driving. Those things are huge aisle hogs. Plus, they are not easy to maneuver. Everyone has to stop and step aside when a mom is steering one of those things out of one aisle and into another. And when the store has several of those things lumbering around... OMG!

On another note, I think the most enjoyable time I had at a grocery store was the day a mom kept her two children entertained by leading them in nursery rhymes and songs. They weren't particularly loud, but they could be heard over several aisles. The small voices singing tunes everyone knows was delightful. The supermarket was strangely quiet and people were actually smiling at each other. Pleasant shopping.

I'm considered rude when people talk to me and they are standing behind me and yakking away such as in the lineups at the checkout. Do I literally need a shirt that says "I'm DEAF..and not ignoring you"? There are times I would turn around and they are right behind me; inches from my face and it gives me the creepies! It bugs me. A simple tap on the shoulder would be appericated if I don't respond.

I worked at a store ( won't say which one :)At Christmas time while on my break people would stop me and ask where something would be. I would just point them in a direction and run. Hey break time is Valueable. Bad part was is that I was a cashier and soon I would see them in my line :O Oh and cashiers can never fart or they know who did it. LOL Kristine in Michigan.

I love this list. I shop with a list and make it a mission. I've been trying to teach my kids common courtesy by pulling them to the side of the aisle with me and pointing out that they should never stop in the middle. I also teach a similar lesson when walking in the city or at the mall - don't stop in the middle of the sidewalk/walkway. If you have to stop, pull to the side. When I worked in the city I would have to dodge what I can only hope were clueless tourist who didn't realize they were (1) stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and (2) standing there during prime rush hour - hence the people walking quickly or running past them in business attire towards the train station.

The thing I hate most about shopping is all those people that keep saying excuse me all the time. That says you are the one to be excused not me so don't look dumb at me when I reply you're excused and continue not continuing

Well Dawn my pet peeve would be when people give their children food and have them hurry up and eat it so they don't have to pay for it. Then they promptly dispose of the empty containers on any shelf on any aisle. As far as drivers go why do people have to be so rude they will go fast enough to catch up to an 18 wheeler then stay in the perfect position where you can not go around they refuse to speed up or slow down so you can pass. We had such an incident this weekend. My cousin was in a horrible car wreck this Thursday she is in critical condition. and we had to drive 6 hours to get to the hospital on the way there I got stuck behind a car that was drving 60 speed limit was 70 i needed to go a little over that. Anyways the lady would not speed up for nothing we managed to pass her up and take off then she magically was able to go much faster caught up with me again and put her brights on so I let her pass then guess what she slowed down again. Then another car teamed up with her and they both drove the same speed limit causing a bunch of cars to be very upset I (driving a truck) stayed behind her and promptly rode her butt with my brights on then finally the lane had an on ramp so i stepped on it and managed to pass both vehicles up again and took off from there. Some people need to realize sometimes people really have an emergency and just because you want to a few laughs it's completely wrong. By the way if I was a really bad person i would have rolled the back window down and had my family throw water bottles at her car before taking off. It's a good thing I am a VERY patient person.

I hate grocery shopping. I'm courteous when shopping. I always park my cart to the side, never in the middle. I try to move out of people's way whenever I see them coming. The real reason I hate grocery shopping...I'm deaf, so I don't always know someone's behind me saying, "excuse me!"

Most of the time I'd jump when I turn around and see the evil eye they gave me. I'd mumble, "Sorry!" as I politely move my cart away. I don't feel the need to tell them I'm deaf because they're already angry at me anyway. Because of this, I try to go into aisles that are empty.

Amen! I'm thinking of printing this out and handing it to offenders as I go through the store. Maybe tape it to their carts, when I "move" it out of my way ... is it bad when I "accidentally" "move" their cart into their ankles, or would that be a violation to #3?

You know. I agree with you 100%. I also live in an area where it seems most people couldnt care less about anyone but themselves which makes it worse. It also made me think of something completely unrelated. try pushing around a wheelchair at disney world around christmas time. I started plowing through anyone that wasnt a kid without caring. People like to run to try and cut you off and come withing a half an inch of being run over... when they are lucky :)

And don't forget about the Personal Space Invaders. You know the ones....you load your items on the conveyor, move up to let them put their items on and the next thing you know, they are so close behind you they can see your cleavage. They are usually the same ones who are perched on your shoulder while you try to enter your PIN into the debit machine.

The PSI are notoroious for 'not seeing' my 5 yr old and are guilty of trying to run her over with their cart! 'Oops! Sorry!" doesn't make it all better, folks (although a well placed butt check to their cart/person does help a little!).

I just pray they don't drive their cars the way they drive their cart/person.

I hate the people that hover over you as you are checking out...like hovering over me is going to make me move faster....I cannot control how fast the cashier rings up my items...or how fast the credit card machine works...get outta here...it's called personal space!